The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 24, 2012
Filed:
Aug. 25, 2008
Seiji Hoshino, Kanagawa, JP;
Toshiyuki Andoh, Kanagawa, JP;
Takashi Hodoshima, Kanagawa, JP;
Takashi Hashimoto, Kanagawa, JP;
Hidetaka Noguchi, Hyogo, JP;
Tatsuhiko Oikawa, Kanagawa, JP;
Seiji Hoshino, Kanagawa, JP;
Toshiyuki Andoh, Kanagawa, JP;
Takashi Hodoshima, Kanagawa, JP;
Takashi Hashimoto, Kanagawa, JP;
Hidetaka Noguchi, Hyogo, JP;
Tatsuhiko Oikawa, Kanagawa, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming device is disclosed that is able to enlarge a gap of a nipping portion with a simple and inexpensive structure, and able to reduce impact when a front end of a recording sheet runs into or a back end of the recording sheet passes through the nipping portion. The image forming device includes an image carrying unit, an image forming unit, a transfer unit, a conveyance unit, a determination unit that determines whether a thickness of the recording sheet is greater than a threshold value, and a cam member that rotates to enlarge or reduce the gap of the nipping portion between the image carrying unit and the transfer unit according to rotational positions of the cam member. When the thickness of the recording sheet is greater than the threshold, the cam member rotates so that the gap of the nipping portion is enlarged.